On 11 September 2025, JCEP had the joy of welcoming two newly appointed European Provincials: Fr Pavel Bačo SJ, Provincial of the Czech Province (BOH), and Fr Ronny Alessio SJ, Provincial of the Euro-Mediterranean Province (EUM), which includes Albania, Italy, Malta, and Romania. They were accompanied by Fr Gonzalo Villagrán SJ, newly appointed Socius of the President of JCEP.

The visit began at the Chapel for Europe, where the Provincials discovered the ecumenical mission of this Jesuit-led space at the heart of the EU Quarter. They learned how the Chapel offers a place of prayer and reflection for people engaged in European affairs, while also fostering dialogue between Christian traditions.

At the Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC), staff presented their work in Brussels and highlighted collaborations with other Jesuit institutions across Provinces and the wider Society of Jesus, including global initiatives such as the ongoing COP30 campaign. The encounter gave the Provincials a deeper insight into how JESC connects Ignatian spirituality with social, political, and ecological issues in the European context.

A joint coffee break with the team of JRS Europe followed, providing an informal moment of fraternity before the Provincials continued their visit at the JRS offices. Welcomed by Director Fr Alberto Ares SJ, they engaged in dialogue about projects underway across Europe and the pressing challenges of migration and asylum. The exchange reaffirmed the shared Jesuit mission to accompany, serve, and advocate for refugees and forcibly displaced people.

The Provincials also met with the Coordinator of Religious Teachers at the European Schools of Brussels, Annie Thumelaire. They gained insight into the opportunities and challenges of teaching religion in a multilingual, multicultural setting.

This series of encounters offered the Provincials a living picture of Jesuit apostolic engagement in Brussels—spiritual, social, intellectual, and educational. Their visit confirmed the richness of collaboration across Provinces and institutions, as Jesuits and their partners seek to respond together to the Universal Apostolic Preferences in the European context.